Chain pipe-wrench.



A. LAFON.

CHAIN PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1916.

1,237,659 Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

INVENTOR WITNESSES; M W 13 By Afto-r'n'eys,

g a d I rin rnn s'rarns PATENT orrion."

' ALrHoNsE LAFoN, or SEWAREN,.1\TEW JERSEY.

. CHAIN PIPE-Wanner:

cling thepipe or bar, such -members-being commonly constructed as a*c'hain, and

r wrenches of this type being commonly teeth for engaging and bitinginto known as chain pipe wrenches. The inven -.tion further relates tothose wrenches 'of this type in which the chain links or grippingmembers areprovided with'spurs or the surface .portion of theflpipe.

According to this invention, such spurs or teeth are mounted loosely insockets in such manner that they may rock as a. turning effort isapplied by the wrench and thereby more effectively bite into the surfaceportion of the pipe. Theinvention provides other features of improvementin wrenches of this class, as will appear from the description. ,1 Theaccompanying drawings show 'the preferred embodiment of the-invention.

I11 said drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away the pipe being shown insection;

Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of the chain; Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line 3-3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 isaperspective view of one of the sp'urs;=. m I Fig. 5 shows oneof the links and spurs on a larger. scale and illustrates therockingmovement-of the spur;

, Fig. 6 is a fragment of the operating lever onthe same scaleas Fig. 5;Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the dog 0.

A, in Figs. 1 and dis the pipe, or it may be a solid bar or shaft. B,asa whole, is the chain, and C is the operating lever. The latter isconnected'in any suitable way to the chain, preferably in the mannershown, namely, by connecting one end of the chain to the end ofthe leverby means of a boltor pintle a; and by pivoting to the lever on anSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1916. Serial No. 122,330.

other bolt or pintle b a hook or dog'c, which may engage any of thelinks of the chain, being adjusted to provide a longer or shorterencircling portion of the chain according as the pipe is-of larger orsmaller size. The dog is best constructed as shown in Fig. '7, and has adouble hook united by a bar 0. The chain is shownas made up of platelinks-d, e, united by pins 7, The chain is preferablycompound, that is,each link consists of two or more plate links (Z or e, and

preferably the composite links cl are wider than the links 6 so'that thehooked portion of the dog 0 may enter against the ends of the links dand embracethe links 6. in the 'manner'common in chain wrenches of thischaracter; but this construction may be varied by the substitution ofany-of the well known equivalentsr I The links d, cl carry the rockingspurs g,

PatentedAug. 21, 1917. a

9. For this purpose the links (Z are formed with angular sockets ornotches it; Instead of these sockets making a tight fit with the spursas has heretofore been proposed, the sockets are made larger than thespurs so that the latter have a certain'freedom of motion while yetbeing .unableto escape from the sockets. To prevent their escapeendwise, the links (Z are provided with outer portions or check linkscl, which are unprovided with notches and which consequently form'stopsagainst which the ends of the spurs abut, and by which the spursare confined within'the sockets. 5

In operation, the chain is carried around the pipe, and the dog 0 ishooked into the chain atsuch a point as to give the lever C aneffectivedirection for applying rotary force to the pipei The lever isthen moved in the direction of the arrow w, Fig. 1, whereby the chainis'tightened around the pipe, its spurs g, 9 being brought against theoutersurface or perimeter of Y the pipe. Thus the pipe is engaged at avfrequent suc-' cession of points around its perimeter so thatwhen theturning stress isapplied, the crushing effort of the chain will be sodistributed around the pipe that the latterrwill be ablemost effectuallyto resist the crushing tendency. On further moving the lever in thedirection a", the encircling portion of movement may be best understoodby reference to Fig. 5. Ordinarily, before the first rotary movement ofthe chain around the pipe, the spurs will stand in the position shown infull lines, being seated against the bottoms of the angular sockets. Asthe first turning movement takes place, each spur rocks around thecorner 71' until the rocking movement is stopped by its. opposite sideabutting against the face of the socket. This rocking movement causesthe spur to swing out so that its active edge, which engages the pipe,protrudes farther from the link, and consequently tendsto bite into thepipe. The rocking movement also brings the spur into a more effectiveangle for engaging. the pipe, so as toreduce th'eliability of slipping.The rocking movement of the spur is thus akin to=the straightening of atoggle;

While it is: preferable to apply the rocking spurs to all of thelinkscl, (that is, to every alternating link of the chain), yet-it iswithin my invention to apply such rocking spur to only one link,-ortoany onepart of the gripping portion of the wrench. And it .isunderstood that each link of that portion of the chain encircling thepipe constitutes a gripping member, and also that portion of theoperatii'ig'lever which bears against the pipe may'also constitute agrippingr'member. It is accordingly withinmy invention toprovide suchengaging end of the lever with a rocking spur, as shown in Fig. 6'. Inthis connection it is to be observed that my invention, in its broadersense, is not limited to chain pipe wrenches,

sinceinsteadof a chain,- any equivalent encircling andgripping. part or.partsma'y' be substituted, provided only thatat least one elementofthegripping member'or members shall be provided with: arocking spur orspurs.

It isan important advantage ofmy invention that the spurs, which arepreferably made of hardened steel, while the chain links may best bemade of softer met'al,

may, when their engaging-'- edges'become worn or dulled,-be removed andturned to bring a new and sharp edge into'the work'- IlIlgfpOSltlOIl; Todo thls 1t lsonly necessary toremove the cheek piece d from'one side of?the chain, withdraw? the spurs, and turn them one-third around,replacing them and replacing the cheek pieces.- "l he'pinsf may havetheir-heads riveted down, or-'-to faeilitate the removal" justdescribed, 'they may be made'asscrew boltswith nuts,- as"shown removalgives the 'ivrench a long life, andwhen all three edges of the spurs aredulled, a new set of spurs may be provided at small expense.

I' claim as my invention .1. A pipe wrench having means for encirclingthe pipe and means for tightening such means against-the pipm-suchencircling means comprising a gripping member having a'socket, and aspur having a single engaging edge and mounted loosely in said socketsothat it may rock as a turning movement is imparted to the wrenchandthereby change the angle of said edge to the pipe. 1 r r 2. A pipewreneh -having means for encircling the pipeand: means for tighteningsuchmeans' against the pipe, such encircling means comprising. agripping member hav ing a'soeket and a 'spur mounted loosely in saidsocket, said member having means for preventing. the escape of saidspur,

comprising a cheek piece closing the end of said socket.

' 31A. pipe wrench having means :for encircling the pipeiand means fortightening such means against the pipe, such'encircling"means-comprising a gripping member having asocket-,and' a triangularspur mounted loosely in said socket so-that it may rock therein withoneedge projecting from said socket to engage the pipe:

4t. A chainpipe wrench comprising a. chain and lever, successivelinks=of the chain having sockets, and triangular spurs 'mounted looselyin such sockets with one edge projecting from the socket to engagethe'pipe.

5. A chain pipe wrench comprising a chain and lever, a linkofthe'chainhaving a socket and a spur mounted loosely in such-socket,saidlink having cheek pieces 1 closing the ends of such socket.

6. A pipe wrench having: means for encircling the pipe and means fortightening such means against the pipe, 7 such encircling ing asocket,and a spur loosely mounted in said socket, the socket'and spurhaving'such means comprising a gripping member and angular relation that as theencircling signed my name in the presence of two submeans is displacedaround the pipe by the scribing Witnesses. tightening movement the spuris turned and ALPHONSE LAFON. swings to bring its engaging edge intoWitnesses: I

5 closer engagement With the pipe. ARTHUR C. FRASER.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto CHAS. LYON RUssELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

